Living in a small village has its benefits but one of them is not shopping convenience.
That will soon change for those living in and around Bettsville where residents are awaiting the opening of a Dollar General store at 3939 Ohio 12 just at the edge of the village.
“This is going to be a really good thing for Bettsville,” Mayor Gary Harrison said. “It’ll save a lot of running to other towns. (Residents) can get most of their needs right here.”
The village has a handful of businesses, including pizza eateries, an ice cream shop, a library, a bar, a beverage drive through that carries limited groceries, a gas station, a tattoo parlor, a country-craft store, an Old Fort Bank branch, a post office and a flooring store.
According to Dollar General communications specialists Jaclyn Dees, construction of the 7,200 sq. ft. building began in November of 2013 and is expected to be completed by the end of this month. The new business will employ six to10 local residents, depending on the need, according to Dees.
A grand opening is scheduled for the beginning of June; however, no date has yet been finalized.
“Construction is so based on weather and different things that can happen,” Dees said. “So the completion date and the grand opening might move up or back. But there will be more information as the time gets closer.”
As of Friday afternoon, Dees said the project “might be a little bit behind,” based on computer records. The steel to support the walls needs to be added, slab needs to be poured, the parking lot needs to be completed and the fixtures need to be installed. The merchandise will be brought in a day or two before the grand opening.
“Dollar General is a one-stop shop for all your needs,” Dees said, adding the convenience store sells a wide range of merchandise from frozen foods to dry foods to home décor and clothing.
Dees said the Bettsville location was chosen based on traffic patterns in the area and demographic trends. The business will serve customers in a 3- to 5-mile radius.
No project cost estimate was available upon request and records did not indicate who was contracted to complete construction.
Dees said Dollar General is in the process of building nearly 700 new stores across the country.
“We haven’t had anything like this come a long for a while,” Harrison said. “We’re looking forward to it becoming a great asset to the village.”